Dehydrator



Oct. 26, 1948; J, c, LOWE 2,452,134

DEHYDRATOR Filed 001". 26, 1944 In uentor JOY/7 @Iawe Patented Oct. 26, 1948 DEHYDBATOR John C. Lowe, Quakertown, Pa., assignor to Harmer R. Lutz, Sellersville, Pa,

Application October 26, 1944, Serial No. 560,425

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved machine for dehydrating or drying various kinds of granular or comminuted material.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the above kind which is highly efficient in operation, easy and economical to manufacture and operate, and otherwise well adapted to meet with the requirements for asuccessful commercial use.

A specific object of the invention is to provide eflicient means for the circulation and agitation of the material being dehydrated, and anovel and efiicient arrangement to facilitate the introduction of the material to be dehydrated into the machine and withdrawal of the dehydrated material from the machine.

More specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the invention consists of the novel form, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawing and claimed.

In the drawing, the figure is a view in central longitudinal vertical section, of a dehydrator constructed in accordance with the present invention. 1

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present machine includes a horizontal elongated cylindrical casing 5 preferably composed of a cylindrical body 6 having closure heads I bolted or otherwise secured to the ends thereof, said body being of double wall construction to afford asteam jacket 8 between the walls thereof. The outer wall of the body 6 is provided with suitable steam inlet and outlet connections 9 and I adjacent the opposite ends thereof, the steam being circulated through the jacket for heating the material introduced into the casing for dehydration. The body 6 is also provided intermediate its ends with a top inlet H for the material to be dehydrated, and a feed hopper l2, provided with a sliding or other closure I3, may be provided to facilitate introduction of the material to be dehydrated through the opening II. The

casing is provided intermediate its ends with a bottom outlet l5 for the dehydrated material, which outlet is controlled by a suitable valve l6. In addition, the casing is provided with outlet or drain connections I! through which rnoisture may be drawn from the casing when wet material is introduced into the casing for dehydration. 1

Rotatable in and projecting through central stuffing boxes l8 of the closure heads .1 are horizontally aligned axial shafts l9 that are journaled in bearings 2| provided at the upper ends of standards 22 mounted adjacent the ends of the casing. A pair of perforate drums 23 and 23a are rotatably disposed in the casing in longitudinally spaced relation to each other, one drum being fixed to the inner end of each shaft IS. The drums 23 and 23a are open at their adjacent ends and are adapted to be rotated in opposite directions for respectively feeding the material to be dehydrated into or discharging the dehydrated material from the drums. The driving means for the drums may include a power transmission pulley 24 secured on the outer end of each shaft H). To facilitate the feeding of the material to be dehydrated into or discharge of the dehydrated material from the drums, the latter are respectively provided upon the inner surfaces thereof with longitudinal spiral ribs or vanes 25 and 25a, the ribs or vanes 25 being of opposite curvature from the vanes or ribs 25a, as viewed from the outer to the inner ends of the drums.

Perforated pipes 26 and 21 project into opposite ends of the casing respectively at the bottom and top of the latter and between the drums and the casing for introducing and withdrawing hot air or other gaseous drying medium. In this way, the material is effectively dried while being agitated and circulated through the medium of the drums 23 and 23a, extracted moisture in vapor form being discharged from the casing with the gaseous drying medium as the latter cools and is supplanted by additional hot drying medium. The present machine is primarily intended for batch operation, the material being introduced in a batch through the inlet II and then being discharged after complete dehydration of the same through the outlet 15. In practice, it is found that thorough and even dehydration of material is had in a minimum of time by the use of the present machine.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages, of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes may be made in details of construction illustrated and described, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a dehydrating machine of the character described, the combination of an imperforate cylindrical casing having a top material inlet and a bottom material outlet intermediate the drums through the adjacent open ends thereof or discharging it from the drums through the-adjacent open ends thereof.

2. In a dehydrating machine of :the character described, the combination of an impe'rforate cylindrical casing having atop;material inlet; v. t

and a bottom material outlet intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of perforate drums rotatably mounted in the casing in longitudinally spaced relation to each other and at opposite sides of said material inlet and said material outlet, spiral vanes on the inner surfaces of said drums, means for circulating a gaseous heating medium through the drums and easing, said drums being open at "their adjacent ends and close'd at their outer ends; andmeans adapted for rotating said drums I in opposite directions for respectively feeding the -and"means to heatxthe casing.

-material into the drums through the adjacent open ends thereof or discharging it from the drums through the adjacent open ends thereof,

JOHN C. LOWE. Noreferences cited. 

